Shortcut To What?
by Amaya-EA
Summary: Sam and Dean get a phone call from Ellen asking for some help. On the way there, they come across someone who needs their help too. Or so it would seem...plz R & R and the next chapter will be up in 7 days


Author's Note

Hey whoever is reading this fic,

My first _ever_ Supernatural fic. The first chapter is kindof short but I didn't want to make it too long in case you guys don't particularly like it. If lots of people R & R, I will continue to write. And I'd like to get lots of feedback: negative or positive is much appreciated, because then I can make the next chapter better. The next chapter will be longer (and hopefully better), and if you have suggestions for where you want me to go from here, or something in particular you would like to see, feel free to send them to me and I'll do my best to include them.

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Chapter summary: Sam and Dean get a phone call from Ellen asking for some help with possible unnatural goings on. On their way to see her, Dean decides to take a short detour to the hospital where their father died. On the way there, they come across someone who needs their help more than Ellen. Or so it would seem…

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So once again, hope you guys enjoy it, and don't forget criticism is welcome.

Story Note: I do not own the show Supernatural, nor do I own Sam, Dean, Ellen, Jo, or anyone else I put into the fic who was originally created by Mr. Kripke. The only things I own are the storyline, and any characters that I happen to create. (Just warning you guys, I've created one character that's central to the storyline, and I had to create others to help move the storyline along. But most of them are irrelevant and only come up once or twice).

Rating: PG-13 because there will be violence in later chapters

¤ Chapter One: The Beginning ¤

Sam and Dean were driving along a familiarly dusty road. Sam – who had refused to drive when he realized where they were going – was riding shotgun, while Dean – whose idea it was to take this 'quick' detour- was driving at 120km/h and loving every minute of it.

"Look Dean. I know you love this car and…

"Damn straight." Dean smiled, putting more pressure on the gas pedal with his foot then he knew Sam was comfortable with.

"Yeah, well _I _value my_ life_ as much as you value speed. So could you _maybe_ slow it down? Just a little bit even." Asked Sam, knuckles turning white from holding onto his seat too long and too hard.

"What's a matter with you today, Sammy?" asked Dean lifting the gas pedal ever so slightly. "I didn't _know_ that you _didn't_ like going fast." He laughed. Sam rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut good. It wasn't like he _hated_ going fast. On a good day, he loved it _just_ as much as Dean, sometimes more. But today he'd woken up with a _terrific_ headache on account of another one of his pleasantly all-too-graphic death visions.

He hadn't mentioned it to Dean because he knew he'd get the third degree. He and Dean had been fighting about his visions a lot lately. They'd sortof just _happen_ as they always had, but they hardly gave the Winchester brothers any time to go prevent the death of _whoever_ it was that was in Sam's head that day. So in Dean's words, Sam's visions were "as useless as a screen door in a submarine."

"I mean to be honest Sam, they're starting to be a real pain in the ass."

_You're telling me. _Thought Sam. _More like a pain in the brain._

After this morning's unwelcome visit from a vivid vision, Sam hadn't been able to keep any food down, much to his empty stomach's dismay. If Sam's vision was right as usual (the brothers had come to the unfortunate conclusion that Sam's visions were almost _never_ wrong) they only had a few hours to get to a house, which luckily for Sam was just two blocks away from Ellen and Jo's place.

And also luckily for Sam, they had gotten that phone call from Ellen saying she and Jo were having trouble with some unruly customers. They didn't know if there was anything _supernatural _about these guys, but Sam and Dean hadn't gone on a hunt in nearly a week. No word from the demon and to Dean's knowledge no death visions from Sam. "Anything to get us out of the hotel" said Dean who sounded a bit desperate, and he knew it.

For some unfathomable reason after he took the call and told Sam what was on the up and up, Dean had wanted to take a detour so that they would end up at the hospital where their father died _before_ helping Ellen.

"Dean: _why_ do you want to go there? Why?" Sam was perplexed.

"I have a bit of unfinished business that I just remembered I have to take care of. And I'd like to take care of it soon rather than later." Dean said simply.

_So Dean is keeping secrets too? Well _that's_ just dandy. _Thought Sam. _If we're only honest with each other once in a while, well that just makes us a _really_ great team. _"As long as it doesn't take too long…" Sam trailed off. "And as long as you don't need my help with it," he whispered.

Dean continued to look at the road. Sam assumed he hadn't heard him.

They hadn't been back to that hospital since they cremated their father's body after taking it from the morgue. They had both found ways to deal with their grief, and tried to bring up the subject of his death…as little as possible unless it was necessary. They'd dealt with it, and they were trying to move on.

"What was that?" asked Dean taking his eyes off of the road to look at Sam suddenly.

Sam closed his eyes and shook his head. "Never mind, Dean." He opened his eyes and gasped. "Dean: watch out!"

"Huh?" said Dean turning his head slowly to look at the road. "Oh shit!" he turned the wheel to the left, trying to swerve away from some kid. The Impala stopped diagonally on the wrong side of the road. "Where'd that kid _come_ from?" asked Dean, trying frantically to unbuckle his seatbelt.

Sam (who was already halfway out his door) turned and unbuckled Dean's seatbelt for him. "I dunno! If you'd been watching the road…

"Ah shut up, Sam." The brothers got out of the car practically in unison. They walked over and knelt down next to the young girl. Dean reached out to her, and she looked up at him with small clear blue eyes. "You okay, kiddo?" asked Dean.

She took his hand and he pulled her up gently. "Mhm" she said quietly.

"What's your name?" asked Sam gently. Dean gave him a look, but Sam ignored him. "I'm Sam and this is my brother Dean. He's sorry for almost hitting you with our car." This earned him an elbow to the ribs. But he continued. "What's your name, sweetheart, and where are your folks?"

The little girl looked at Sam then Dean. And then she began to cry. Dean rolled his eyes and put his arms around her, trying his best to pull her into an embrace. She was quite a bit smaller than him. Her head barley came up to his waist. He pushed her long blonde hair out away from her face and patted her head. She pulled away from him, wiped the tears off of her cheeks and brushed the dirt off of her baby blue stockings. "Why're you crying?" he asked her.

"Because: my parents. They're…my brother…my sister…they're all…" she sniffled, "They're dead," she whispered.

Sam and Dean's eyes went wide, but for different reasons. _The death vision strikes true again, _thought Sam. Dean felt bad, but mostly because she was such a young little kid. A little _girl_ at that, and he didn't think she deserved to have this happen to her.

She sniffled a few more times then took two deep quivering breaths, releasing them slowly. She looked up at Dean. "M-my my name is Ellieanor. But my friends call me Lily."

"Well Lily, is there somewhere we can take you?" asked Dean. "Little lady like you shouldn't be wandering around all by your lonesome."

Lily shook her head sadly. "The fire destroyed everything. My house is gone, all of my things. My family is dead!" she cried. Dean pulled her towards him and she cried into the bottom of his shirt. Dean looked at Sam, and then looked away.

_Sam knows something. I'm sure of it. Why else would he look so guilt? What is it Sammy? What aren't you telling me?_ Wondered Dean.

Sam's eyes were begging understandfrom Deans, but Dean was looking at Lily. _I promise I'll tell you next time Dean. _Thought Sam, mentally punching himself. _I thought we had more time…_ "Hey Lily? Where do you uh…I mean, where _did_ you live?" asked Sam.

Lily pointed up the road. "That way" she whispered.

Dean knew what was going on. "Could you give us a minute, Lily? Me and my brother just need to talk for a sec." He said moving away from Lily, and pulling Sam over towards the car. "Sam: what do you think you're doing? We don't have _time_ for this."

"Look I _know_ you feel bad for her. You wanna help her _just_ as much as I do. Quit trying to hide it Dean. We don't have anything to worry about." Said Sam, reassuringly.

Dean looked around and sighed. "Alright _fine_. We drive her to…what's_ left_ of her house, and then what? Gonna bring her along with us on our next hunt are we? Yeah _sure_. I'll teach her how to use a gun and she can kill the next thing we come up against, how's that sound?" asked Dean sarcastically.

"Dean, be serious. We'll go to her house, and try to figure out how the fire started. And when we find someone safe to leave her with, a relative or someone, we'll carry on alone from there. Okay?"

"You swear?" asked Dean seriously.

Sam nodded. "I swear." He smiled grimly at Dean. "Thanks Dean."

"_Don't _make me regret this," said Dean.

Sam nodded at him and walked back over to Lily. "Alright Lily, let's go find out what happened to your house." He offered her his hand and the two of them walked over to the car.

Lily rode in the back behind Sam who was once again riding shotgun. Dean drove. _Seriously Sam_ thought Dean,_ don't_ _make me regret this. _Dean righted the car and drove in the direction Lily had pointed him in.

Had he looked in his back mirror at _just_ the right moment, he would have seen – for just a brief moment – Lily's eyes completely glaze over and turn entirely black. Had he seen this, he might have stopped the car and questioned her about it. But since he wasn't looking behind him at her reflection, and _didn't _see her eyes glaze over and turn black, it didn't matter…for the time being.

¤ End of Chapter One ¤

Well guys, that's it for chapter one, tell me what you think :)

I've started work on a second chapter, and if I get a few reviews (no matter what they say) I will hopefully be able to post another chapter by next Sunday, Monday at the latest.

Muchly appreciated, Amaya


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